35 Whelen Range Report

[JD338]

I took my old friend, a M700 Classic 35 Whelen with a Vari X III 2.5-8x36mm, out to the range this morning to start my load development with 250 gr bullets.

The load consisted of a Hornady 250 gr spire point Interlock with 59.0 grs RL 15, R-P case and Federal GM210M primers.
The load averaged 2494 fps, ES 25, SD 11. Group went .683" at 100 yds.

Next up is the Nosler 250 gr PT.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Great SD on that group, Jim. After your fouling shot, that looks very good. It will be great to see what the PT does.

 

[jmad_81]

That looks like a great start! I bet that packs a pretty good punch on the ol milk jug test!

 

[TBASTIAN]

That's a thumper, and an accurate one to boot!

 

[Hank Hunter]

Nice start, those 35 whelen are just thumpers. Shot my biggest whitetail with my CDL and the 225g AB. Deer never took a step.

 

[JD338]

Nice start, those 35 whelen are just thumpers. Shot my biggest whitetail with my CDL and the 225g AB. Deer never took a step.

I know, this rifle has taken 17 bucks and a 250 lb black bear. The first four bucks were with the Remington 200 gr PSPCL factory load and the rest were taken with the Nosler 225 gr PT. Always an exit hole and always a dead deer.

JD338

 

[257 Ackley]

Jim -
really nice shooting with the old friend!! Remington use to make nice shooters... :wink:. I had to look twice to see that #2 & 4 were the same hole..nice! Good luck with the PT, I'm sure the results will be similar.

 

[Hegland]

Way to go Jim. Racy group and an even prettier rifle. Got to love those 700 Classics.

 

[FOTIS]

That is one heck of a hammer Jim.

 

[HeathSexton]

Good shooting.

You guys just keep wearin' me down posting all this Whelen stuff. Keep it up and I'll give into peer pressure and own one.


Then you know what happens, it's JUDY CHOP time again........

 

[FOTIS]

That is funny man!

 

[JD338]

That is one heck of a hammer Jim.

Fotis called me while I was shooting this group. I stuffed my cell phone under the muffs and fired the 4th shot. I looked through the spotting scope to confirm the group live with Fotis on the phone. No Guff...

Fotis was my witness. :mrgreen:

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

YUP Funny as hell. My kids were in the car and I had him on speaker. He says hold on than I hear BOOM!!!!!!!!!!



:mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[SJB358]

Great shooting Jim! Looks like another RL15 loving rifle! Man, great speed also. I was getting about 2575 FPs with the 250gr PT at 59gr's also. Seems like we are just about in the same ballpark. Excellent shooting. It is awesome to see all these Whelen's out and shooting well. Scotty

 

[JD338]

I went out this evening to try the 250 gr PT in the 35 Whelen.
Loaded with 59.0 grs RL 15 produced an Avg velocity of 2556 fps with an ES of 24 and a SD of 12. The group went .788"
With 59.5 grs of RL 15, Avg velocity went 2581 fps with an ES of 8 and a SD of 4. The group went 1.467" but I dropped the second shot.
Shots #1 and #3 went .181". I need to reshoot this one!

JD338

 

[DrMike]

You have a sweet load there, Jim. Great shooting.

 

[SJB358]

Great shooting Jim. You are looking really good buddy! Talk about a sledge hammer! Might not be super fast compared to RUMs but it certainly will carry the mail. Scotty

 

[PJGunner]

A load I really like is 60.4 gr. of RL-15 and the 225 gr. Barnes TSX. Threes shots into .50" to .75" depending on how well I'm shooting my custom Mauser on any particular day. A load that has done well for me with 250 gr. Speer Hot Cores is 53.0 gr. of H-335. I got that load off of paco Kelly's article on the .35 Whelen. Accuracy ran right at one inch from my Mauser, 1.25" from my Remington 700 Classic and 1,50" from my Ruger M77 tang safety model.
That barnes TSX load dropped a cow elk so darn hard that she bounced when she hit the ground.
Gotta love the .35 Whelen.
BTW, very nice groups.
Paul B,

 

[jmad_81]

WOW! Jim that thing shoots better than most of the guns I own!

 

[Bruce Mc]

JD, you're killing me here. I've still got that .270 Rem 700 sitting in the closet waiting for a rebarrel and you continue to post good stuff on that Whelen. And brag about all them deers that ya shot with it. Do you get a commission on guns chambered for 35 Whelen?